Something...

... old...



My Halloween displays change yearly except for my oldest still-life, the witch's table. It is my favorite decoration. I added a few things this year like a new spell book and a gazing ball.

Something new...



Photocopied pictures from my father's anatomy book onto velum paper then placed inside various glass containers. You should see it all lit up with candles. Very eerie and FREE!

Something borrowed...



I borrowed this idea from an old Halloween magazine I saved from my college days. I have been dying to make this pumpkin display but knew that folding a 400+ page book would be tedious. Thank you to Morgan for folding pages for hours to help me realize a Halloween fantasy!

Something orange?



Yes, I actually painted my door orange for Halloween. We love it! Even Josh! The color? Jack-o-lantern orange. I love it with my feather wreath, thank you Target.

Can't wait for next year and the exciting new additions I purchased today, 75% off!

da da da da da da da da...

...BATMAN!

The caped crusaders were out in force. These are NOT their Halloween costumes this year. This is just a typical day in our household. I have friends with little girls who say "at least boys don't change their clothes 10 times a day." I beg to differ. They might not put on 10 new outfits but they do put on 10 costumes. I encourage this sort of creative play, doesn't involve me!

It's the most...

... wonderful time of the year!

Hence, no time for blogging. Therefore, I will cram a month's worth of blog posts in one week. Behold the sites and sounds of my favorite season!

"Finn, you may not be outside without your hat and shoes on. Go get your hat and shoes on now!"





Hey, I never specified which shoes and witch hat (ha ha ha). Such a good listener.

I have no self control...

... I was keeping these puppies a secret till Christmas. I was hoping to give them as gifts to our family, of course at the top of everyone's wish list is a photograph of our family ;)! However, I can't keep them a secret any longer. Our best friend in the whole world, Damon, once again took brilliant photographs of our family. He took them in July so I have been sitting on them for a couple of months. Today, Damon put together a short video advertisement using our portraits for his business, Fairchild Photography.

Here is the link for the video. I am sorry, that's all you get. I don't want my grandma to be able to copy and print the potraits, sorry Red. But I DO want you to be able to see the talents and gifts of a person who is so special to us! All we need now is for him to move the biz to Denver!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nybH88f0ZnU

But Peter, who was very naughty...

...ran straight away to Mr. McGregor's garden, and squeezed under the gate! First he ate some lettuces and some French beans; and then he ate some TOMATOES... (Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Peter Rabbit).

Actually he ate some radishes but my garden pest is mutilating my tomatoes.



My "Patio Princess" has a bunch of ripe, half-eaten cherry tomatoes still hanging on the vine. What kind of culprit goes to the trouble of getting into the pot but doesn't eat the whole tomato?

This kind of culprit.



How did I not notice my 10-month-old eating oodles of my tomatoes straight off the vine? I guess I am "that" kind of mother!



I should probably take his jacket, the one with big brass buttons, and his tiny shoes and make a scarecrow to stave off future garden heists!

Where did summer go...

... and can it please come back?

Do you remember when you were a kid and you would race down the streets on your bike? You'd fly through the summer air and pray for it to never end! Today I watched my boys take flight. It was a wonderful thing to behold. It was even better when Cole discovered that his bike flipped over and became his own factory. I delighted in his creativity and giggled inside because I used to do the same thing. My bike became a chocolate or peanut butter factory. I would turn the pedals and the wheels would turn like cogs in a machine. Cole was much healthier than I was at that age because his factory was a milk factory.





Thank you summer for such great memories!

The fruits of my labor...

... are delicious. Behold my favorite salad, caprese, made from tomatoes and basil straight from my garden. Thank you, thank you (me bowing). No, I did not milk a cow for my mozzarella. Nonetheless it was heavenly.